Wire stretcher



April 20, 1937. J. M. HAYNES WIRE STRETCHER Filed Nov. 30, 1935 Grim/MA;

Patented Apr. 20, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a wire tightener or stretcher particularlydesigned for permanent installation as part of a clothesline toenableinstant tightening of the line through the turning of a crank.

It aims to provide a novel, simple, and durable construction,particularly wherein novel means are employed to cause the tightenedportion of the wire to coil evenly over a portion of the tightening orcrank shaft, and at a certain limit to reverse the direction of coiling,in order to accommodate the excess portion within minimum space.

The more specific objects and advantages will become apparent from aconsideration of the description following taken in connection with accompanying drawing illustrating an operative embodiment.

In said drawing:- Figure 1 is a view in elevation showing the im- 20provements in use;

Figure 2 is a view taken at a right angle to Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 3-3 ofFigure 1; and

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line iof Figure 1.

Referring specifically to the drawing, l designates a frame which mayconsist of two metallic bars or strips ll riveted together as at I2. 30This frame is adapted to be anchored to any suitable support by means ofa wire or the like [3, passing through registering openings 14 in oneend of the bars 9 I.

At the opposite end, bars II are separated or deflected away from eachother to provide bearing portions l5 in which a reel shaft I6 isjournaled, which shaft has a crank I1 and an operating handle [8.

Rigidly mounted in any suitable way on the reel shaft it, between andadjacent one of the bearing portions I5, is a wire bending, holding, andadjusting guide block I8, the same having a deep worm or spiral grooveas at IS in the base of which is an opening 20 for one end of the wire2| constituting the clothesline, and which opening 20 may be extendedinto the reel shaft l6, as at 22, if desired. Also located between thebearing portions I5 is an annular plate or washer 23, a

- cotter key 24 preferably being interposed be- 50 tween the same andadjacent bearing portion l5, which is secured in an opening 25 in thereel shaft Hi.

It will thus be seen that the clothesline 2| is adapted to be anchoredat one end to any stationary support and at the other end to be anchoredin the holes 20 and 22, while the frame I0 is anchored to a stationarysupport by the wire l3. After the reel shaft i6 is given one half a turnthrough operation of the crank H, the wire 24 will be anchored in theopenings 20 and 22. Thereafter the reel shaft l6 may be turned wheneverdesired to properly tension the clothesline, the groove l9 facilitatingthe bending and holding of the clothesline and causing the same toevenly coil along the reel shaft 16. When the coils are sufficient innumber to engage the washer or plate 23, the latter will deflect them inthe opposite directions to superpose the same on the coils in directengagement with the reel shaft It. The excess clothesline may thus beaccommodated within minimum space.

Means are provided to hold the crank I! and shaft It? at the variousdegrees of adjustment and may comprise a hook 26 having one end curledat 21 and pivotally passing through an opening 28 in the frame, theopposite ends thereof being a hook 29, engageable with the crank ll.

Various changes may be resorted to provided they fall within the spiritand scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention:-

1. A device of the class described, comprising a frame having separatedend portions, a reel shaft journaled in said end portions, a wirebending, and holding guide block of ring form on said shaft between saidportions having a spiral groove nearer one end portion than the otherend portion, and said block and reel shaft having aligned wire-anchoringopenings communicating with the groove.

2. A device of the class described, comprising a frame having separatedend portions, a reel shaft journaled in said end portions, a wirebending, and holding guide block of ring form on said shaft between saidportions having a spiral groove nearer one end portion than the otherend portion, said block and reel shaft having aligned wire-anchoringopenings communicating with the groove, and a coil-deflecting andreversing member on said shaft.

3. A device of the class described, comprising a frame having separatedend portions, a reel shaft journaled in said end portions, a wirebending, and holding guide block of ring form on said shaft between saidportions having a spiral groove nearer one end portion than the otherend portion, said block and reel shaft having aligned wire-anchoringopenings communicating with the groove, a coil-deflecting and reversingmember on said shaft, a cotter passing through said shaft between themember and adjacent portions, said frame comprising a plurality of barsfastened together, and crank means to operate said shaft.

JACOB M. HAYNES.

